Buck

A simple tale about a man and his gift. Doesn't try to be anything else, and because of that is all the more gripping. It's easy to hate on a documentary because it doesn't use hip indie tracks, slick editing, and dry Spurlockian humor to squeeze its message down your gullet. But when you have a story this interesting, bells and/or whistles are not always necessary...or even welcome.

A touching film about a man who has drawn on the lessons of a terrifying past to bring peace and healing to others. The film doesn't possess a great deal of flash, choosing instead to focus on quietly beautiful images of the western US which mirror the serene quality that Buck brings to his work and life. There are a couple of moments of genuine pathos, as people take on the difficult tasks of truly loving and caring for other human beings.

Like horses? Watch this.

A man gets off to a shitty start in life, constantly progresses thereafter, and helps others to do the same. Hedged against its warm message is the tragedy of the lost cause; the one whose best will never and can never be good enough. The last 20 minutes are the best part while the first hour is part necessary exposition and part repetitive corral footage. The pictures are digital and feel like a missed opportunity considering the movie is shot primarily in the striking American West.

A-

Gave this a higher rating than it perhaps strictly deserves as a piece of movie-making because of my strong feelings for the subject. What an extraordinary man, with an extraordinary understanding of personalities, both human and equine.

A well-made documentary about a man with a passion for horses.

If he could have saved the so called brain damaged horse I would have gave this a higher score.

"Even when Meehl hits on first-rate footage of a fascinating practice, she insists on undermining its strength by reducing it to little more than a device for the delivery of a simplistic, shopworn message." - Andrew Schenker